


Checklists to Change the Future

by A_Lousy_Author



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Checklists are fun, Gen, Other characters to be added as they appear, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-08-29 07:32:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16739749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Lousy_Author/pseuds/A_Lousy_Author
Summary: The fight against Yaldabaoth didn't go as planned. Now, Makoto finds herself sent back in time to her first day of school at Shujin Academy. She has to fight to change things to create a better future. Of course, every good plan starts with a checklist.





	1. Making Plans

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Count of Monte Cristo](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12027351) by [Scedasticity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scedasticity/pseuds/Scedasticity). 



> My first attempt at writing fanfiction in about a decade.
> 
> Though I'm planning to take it in a different direction, this story was inspired by the Start Again series, by Scedasticity, which is likely to be far better written than mine. I'd recommend you check it out.

Makoto came to with a start, the cool air burning her lungs with every breath. She sat up too quickly and her head began to swim. Fighting back the dizziness with her eyes still closed, she forced herself to take stock of her situation.

Physically, she didn’t feel any pain. There were no aches, cuts, or bruises that she could detect. In fact, other than the subsiding dizziness, she seemed to be in perfect health.

The surface that she was now sitting on felt soft, like a bed. She closed her hands around the fabric that had gathered near them when she sat up and confirmed that they felt like a blanket and bedsheets.

She could faintly hear cars and trucks passing by and the sound of a television or radio softly playing a talk show of some kind.

Perplexed, Makoto opened her eyes. She recognized her own bedroom immediately. Bookshelves containing her favorite novels and textbooks. A well-kept desk with pens, pencils, notebooks, and her laptop open on it. Photos of herself with her sister hanging on the wall and her school supplies stuffed in her backpack next to the door.

 _What’s going on?_ Makoto thought. _The last thing I remember…_

It was Christmas Eve. Akria led the Phantom Thieves into Mementos, all the way to the bottom of its depths. Fighting against Holy Grail. All of Tokyo aflame. Yaldabaoth rushing towards her. And then darkness.

She was drawn from her thoughts by a voice calling from the other room, “Makoto, come get breakfast. You’ll be late.”

Makoto hesitated only a moment before responding, “Just a minute!”

She moved to the mirror next to her closet, gasping as she took in the view of herself. She was a good few inches shorter than expected, and her red eyes looked out of a face that was far more youthful than the one she usually saw in the mirror. A quick inspection also showed muscles that were less toned than those she had built over months of training and phantom thievery.

Pushing the panic to the back of her mind, Makoto walked to her desk and picked up her phone. Looking at the date confirmed her suspicions.

_Monday, April 7 th, 2014_

_The date of my first day of classes at Shujin. What’s going on here? Yaldabaoth styled itself as some sort of god. Is this some illusion of its doing? If so, why choose this?_

“Makoto, your food is getting cold.” Sae’s voice came from the kitchen.

_No time to worry about this now._

“Coming Sis.” She called through the door.

After she quickly dressed in her Shujin Academy uniform, Makoto walked into the main room of the apartment she shared with her sister. Sae did not look much different than Makoto remembered as she sat at the table, already wearing her prosecutor’s outfit and eating her breakfast as she watched the news on the television. The only hint of anything being wrong was Sae’s slightly shorter hair and her face showing fewer effects of the stress that had built up over the years of being the sole provider for the two of them.

“I know I don’t usually cook, but I wanted your first day of high school to be special,” Sae said as she offered Makoto a plate.

“Thanks, Sis.” Makoto sat down and began to serve herself. She snuck a quick glance at the TV and caught the date from the corner of the news broadcast. It confirmed her phone’s insistence that it was April 7th, 2014. She then focused intently on eating, hoping to avoid conversation as much as possible.

Sae torpedoed that plan almost immediately. “Are you alright Makoto? You look pale.”

“Just a little nervous about the first day of school.” Makoto chuckled weakly, hoping that Sae would buy her excuse.

Sae gave her a skeptical look. “You’ve been excited about starting high school for weeks and your just nervous now? Just study hard and focus on your work, don’t let yourself get distracted by social clubs that won’t do anything for your future, and you’ll be fine.” Her face softened slightly. “Us Nijima women are strong. You’ll do great Makoto.”

“Thanks, Sis.”

“I’m only telling you the truth. Now, I hope you enjoyed breakfast, but I have to go. I have an early meeting about a new case. It’s an important one, so I have to make sure everything goes smoothly.”

“Good luck,” Makoto called as her sister walked out the door.

Makoto took a deep breath and glanced at the clock. She had ten minutes before she needed to leave for school if she didn’t want to be late. Enough time to take a few moments to think about her predicament and draw up a plan of attack for the school day.

_Sae clearly doesn’t remember anything, but that’s not enough information to draw any useful conclusions from._

_There are a few possibilities at the moment:_

  1. _I’m currently dead or dying and hallucinating, and nothing that is happening here is real._
  2. _Yaldabaoth has done something to me to induce this illusion for some unknown purpose._
  3. _Some entity has truly sent me back in time._



_Ignoring the first possibility, because it renders anything I do moot, that leaves two possibilities._

_If the second case is true, Yaldabaoth may be hoping to use how I react to gain some information about me or the Phantom Thieves. I don’t see how that would help it given that the last thing I recall is us battling it while shadows overtook the city. Unless the rest of the Thieves managed to retreat and somehow save Tokyo without defeating Yaldabaoth, it has nothing to gain from whatever information it gathers from this illusion._

_Alternatively, Yaldabaoth may be using this illusion to torture me._ She shuddered. _It certainly didn’t seem like a benevolent god, so I cannot rule that possibility out, but given what has happened so far, this seems unlikely._

_That leaves true time travel._

_Of course, there’s no guarantee that any of these possibilities are true. I may be missing what is truly going on._

A sharp ringing from her phone caused Makoto to jump. Ten minutes had passed more quickly than she’d expected.

Makoto hurriedly grabbed her bag, noticing with a soft smile that her Buchimaru pencil case was balanced at the top of the notebooks and textbooks. _At least one thing is normal today._

She traced her usual route to school, allowing her brain to focus on the well-memorized movements rather than running wild focusing on her situation.

As she walked towards the school’s gate, she was hit by a realization.

_Kamoshida. He’s still here. When did his abuse start? Was it always as terrible as it was last time?_

Sure enough, Kamoshida stood at the front gate welcoming students as they arrived. His voice carried a pleasant, friendly tone, but Makoto easily noticed his gaze linger on a few of the female students that filed into the building.

Makoto tried to walk past Kamoshida but his attention focused on her as soon as she neared him.

“And you must be a new student. Welcome to Shujin Academy,” Kamoshida said jovially. “Best volleyball team in the country. It’s great for school spirit. You should come see some of our games. We could always do with more students like you cheering us on.” He barely tried to disguise his attempt to look her up and down before giving Makoto a thinly veiled lascivious grin.

For the first time that morning, Makoto felt some of the fire that she felt while she worked with the Phantom Thieves return to her. She took a small step forward, placing herself uncomfortably close, and stared directly into Kamoshida’s eyes, daring him to keep talking.

Kamoshida recoiled slightly, leaving Makoto enough time to state, “I prefer to focus on my studies,” before continuing into the school building.

Once she crossed the threshold of the building, Makoto exhaled. _I’ll need to do something about him._ She thought. _Maybe I can stop him from hurting anyone this time around. Ann’s friend isn’t even at Shujin yet…  I need to make sure he doesn’t push anyone to the edge like he did with Shiho._

Looking around her to make sure no one was watching, Makoto pulled her cell phone out of her bag. It was an older model than the one she was used to, her usual cell phone being a gift from Sae that she’d received for becoming student council president.

She quickly entered her passcode and swiped through the screens. After a moment she was disappointed, but not surprised to confirm that the Metaverse Navigator app was not installed on her phone. A quick search of the device’s app store also turned up no results.

_Getting access to the Metaverse will have to be a priority. If Yaldabaoth came from Mementos, then that seems like the best place to search to figure out what’s going on. It’ll also give me a way to deal with Kamoshida._

_But can I handle Mementos and a palace on my own? I’ve never worked with a team of fewer than five. I need to find a way to get in touch with the other Thieves and see if they remember anything._

_Akiraisn’t in Tokyo yet. Ryuji, Ann, and Yusuke are still in middle school, Futaba is…_

_Futaba’s mother might still be alive! And she was doing research on cognitive psience. I need to save her if I can. And she might be able to help me figure out what’s going on._

_I really need to write down a list of things I need to do. I need to prioritize._

_First things first. The closest member of the Thieves right now is Haru. She should be at Shujin today too. I need to reach out and see if she remembers anything without making myself too obvious._

Makoto nodded to herself, her goal for the day set.

A droning voice came on over the loudspeaker. “All students. Report to the gymnasium for the start of term assembly. The assembly will start in ten minutes.”

With practiced ease, Makoto made her way from the entrance hall towards the gym, just stopping herself from making her way to the front, her autopilot bringing her towards the podium where she would usually have to speak.

Instead, she found a seat in the back of the room near the doors. She focused on the incoming stream of students, hoping to catch a glimpse of Haru to confirm that she was at the school today. Sure enough, after a few minutes, she saw a girl with soft, brown curls and a fluffy pink sweater come in and sit down a few rows ahead of her.

With Haru’s presence at the school confirmed, Makoto took a moment to look around. She recognized a few of her fellow students in passing, either as classmates or students who had come to her for help while she worked with the student council.

The gymnasium looked much like she was used to. A well-maintained floor with freshly painted lines for volleyball. A stage at the front of the room with a few chairs and podium set up on it. Behind the stage was a red curtain with a flag of Shujin Academy providing a backdrop for the speaker.

After a few minutes, a heavyset man in a beige suit walked onto the stage and made his way to the podium. The chatter filling the room died down as the man cleared his throat and began to speak.

“Good morning students. I am Principal Kobayakawa. For those of you returning to the school for a second or third year, welcome back. To our new students, welcome to Shujin Academy.

“Here at Shujin, we strive to be the best school in Japan and to prepare you for the rigors of university and your adult life. I hope you appreciate our academic programs and use these next three years to gain knowledge about the world and about yourselves.

“We also have some of the best after-school clubs and teams here at Shujin. The artistically inclined may enjoy our music club. Writers can help produce our student newspapers. Our athletes have helped us have a successful track team, and of course, our volleyball team is the best in the country thanks in no small part to our own Olympian, Suguru Kamoshida.

“Whatever it is that you hope to get out of your time at Shujin Academy, I am sure that we will be able to provide it to you. I hope you all enjoy the year, and again, welcome to Shujin Academy.”

After polite applause from the student body and young man stepped up to the podium. “Hello everyone. I’m Takara Okuda, the student body president. First years, please report to the tables in the back of the gymnasium to get your room assignments and class schedules. Second and third years, please go directly to class. Thank you.”

Makoto stood and made her way to the back of the gym with the rest of the first years. She kept her eyes on Haru, looking for an opening, but the other girl was too far ahead of her for Makoto to be able to get to her without drawing attention.

Instead, Makoto waited in line in front of the teacher who was handing out the paperwork. She received her room assignment and class schedule before exiting the gym. A quick look around showed that Haru was nowhere to be seen, so Makoto instead double checked her room assignment and set out on her way to class.

 

* * *

 

When the teacher finally dismissed them for lunch, Makoto let out a sigh of relief. Even for the most dedicated students, the first day of classes was always a drag. The teachers had to spend time getting to know each student and setting expectations for the year and most students were too busy swapping stories about how they had spent their vacation to pay attention anyway.

Makoto stepped into the hallway. _I still have to make contact with Haru. I know she usually ate lunch on the roof, but that was after the garden was installed. Where would she be eating on the first day of school?_

Without any better plan, Makoto started walking down the hallway, trying to sneak a peek into each first-year classroom as she passed.

She walked the entire length of the floor but did not see Haru in any of the classrooms. Deciding that she could focus on finding Haru after school, Makoto turned around to return to her classroom to eat her lunch. As she turned Makoto felt a weight impact her side, sending her falling to the ground.

“Oh, my goodness, I’m so sorry,” said a voice that managed to sound both intensely apologetic and cheerful.

Makoto looked up and sure enough, the face of Haru Okumura looked down at her with the image of concern on her face.

“It’s quite alright Ha…” Makoto coughed, hiding her near slip. “I mean, It’s alright. I was the one who wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings.”

Haru held out a hand to help Makoto up, her arm strength doing the majority of the work. _No wonder she was able to handle that battle axe without training. She must have started some training regimen long before she joined the Phantom Thieves._

“No, no. I shouldn’t have been walking without paying attention. I’ve just been distracted by,” Haru’s face began to drop and she paused for a moment, but she seemed to force herself to brighten up. “by the first day at a new school. None of my friends from my old school wanted to come to Shujin, but Father insisted that it was the best place for me.”

_It sounds like her father might already be involved in the conspiracy somehow. Or at least he knows something and is interest in joining. I’ll have to do something about that. Still, this is the perfect opportunity to speak to her._

“I understand that feeling. I never had many friends at my previous school, so it’s just me here.” Makoto said, taking a glance at the nearby clock. “We still have some time. Would you like to eat lunch together?”

“That would be wonderful.” Haru beamed at her. “Oh! I don’t think I’ve introduced myself. I’m Haru Okumura.”

“Makoto Nijima. It’s good to meet you.”

“I saw a nice bench out in the courtyard that seemed like it was out of the way. Would you like to eat there?”

Makoto nodded. “It’s not too cold outside today. That would be nice.”

Haru’s etiquette training kicked in almost immediately as she kept up a good level of small talk as they walked outside. Makoto focused just enough to make sure she’d be able to respond, but the rest of her mind was racing.

_At first glance, it looks like Haru doesn’t remember anything, but it may be that she’s in the same position as me and is trying to feel out whether I remember anything as well._

_I can’t just come out and say anything about the Phantom Thieves. If she doesn’t remember anything, I don’t want to scare her off. She’s the closest thing I have to an ally at the moment, even if she doesn’t have her memories of the future. I’ll need to find a way to hint at it subtly._

As they sat down on the bench, Haru and Makoto removed their lunches from the bags.

“What did you bring for lunch today?” Haru asked.

Makoto, who had been too focused on her predicament to pay attention to her lunch as she left home, looked at the box in her hand, opening it. “My sister made me a bento. I usually cook, but she wanted me to have something special for the first day.” _I can’t picture Sis making this for me at all. Did she really change_ that _much in two years?_

“That’s wonderful!” Haru said with a smile. “Your sister must really care about you. I have a bento as well.” She pulled out a box of her own, along with a small thermos.

As Haru opened the thermos and took a sip, Makoto caught sight of the dark liquid within and the small amount of steam that escaped through the opening at the top.

_There’s my opening._

“Is that coffee?” Makoto said.

“Yes, it is. I know it’s not a typical drink to bring for lunch, but I’ve always like coffee. Something about the atmosphere of a nice café is so relaxing.” Haru said.

“There’s a really nice café I know in Yongen Jaya. The proprietor seems gruff, but it’s a very relaxing place. He makes a wonderful café noir.”

“That sounds wonderful. I’ll have to visit it sometime.”

 _Clearly, Haru either is showing a large amount of caution, or truly doesn’t remember anything. I should start to prepare myself for the possibility that I’m alone here._ Makoto fought back the slight sense of panic that she felt rising in the back of her mind. _At the very least, I should make friends with Haru. I know her, even if she doesn’t know me, and maybe I can do something to help her handle her father._

Haru drew Makoto out of her thoughts, “what clubs do you think you want to join this year?”

“I hadn’t given it much thought,” Makoto said. And truly, she hadn’t. The first time around, she joined student council because it would look the best on college applications. There wasn’t an aikido club at the school and she had little interest in the arts or sports, so student council had seemed like the natural choice. “I might join the student council. It seems like a good way to get involved in different parts of the school.”

“That’s a good idea. I don’t know all the clubs they have here, but I hope that there’s something like a gardening club. I’ve always wanted to grow my own foods.” Haru said.

“I’m sure you’d be wonderful at it,” Makoto said, recalling just how often Haru’s rooftop-grown foods had gotten them out of a sticky spot in a palace. “If there’s no club like that, I’m sure you could try starting one up. If I get into the student council, I could even help with your petition.”

Haru gave a light laugh. “I guess it’s good to have friends in high places. I’m glad that I bumped into you Makoto, even though I’m still sorry to have knocked you over.”

Makoto smiled. “I’m quite alright. Don’t worry about it.”

The pair stood and began walking back towards the class building in companionable silence. When they reached the door, Haru paused. “We should do this again another time Makoto. I’m glad that we met.”

“Likewise,” Makoto said. “Here, let me give you my contact information so we can set up a time to eat together again.”

Haru happily took Makoto’s phone and entered her own information into the device’s contact list. She departed with a cheerful smile and walked back towards her classroom. After a moment’s pause, Makoto walked back towards her own.

 

* * *

 

Makoto walked through the front door of the apartment she shared with Sae and sat down heavily on the couch, allowing the silence of the room to settle around her. Sae wouldn’t be home for a few hours yet so she had time before she needed to begin cooking dinner.

As the day had worn the reality of what was going on had begun to set it. That, combined with the clear evidence that Haru did not recognize her meant that, as far as she could tell, she was alone, without backup from any of the other Phantom Thieves.

Makoto took a moment, allowing the stress to and worry to wash over her before pushing it to the side.

_I need to focus. Things look bad, but I need to look forward. I have the chance to change things for the better. If Yaldabaoth wins, they certainly can’t get any worse, so I’ll try, even if I have to do it alone._

_I need a plan. But how can I come up with a plan to change what’s going to happen in the next two years? There are too many variables. Too many things to change._

Makoto thought on it for a moment, trying to leverage all of the time she spent as the Phantom Thieves’ strategist to help her come up with one more plan.

_Logically speaking, time travelers have two options. Try to maintain the timeline at all costs so they can leverage their future knowledge or try to change things to make them better._

_Keeping the timeline the same is nearly impossible in practice, and regardless, I want things to change If I can stop Shido early, maybe Yaldabaoth never becomes a problem at all. That means that I shouldn’t worry about trying to keep things the same as they were before._

_What are the consequences of that? I imagine that any knowledge of low-level events, will be useless, but the big picture will be the same. Shido is still trying to take over the country. Madarame is still plagiarizing his students’ work. Kaneshiro is still blackmailing students. Kamoshida is still abusing the school’s athletes._

_Without the Metaverse, I can’t do much about any of that. I might be able to have some effect on Kamoshida, and maybe Kaneshiro since I can tip-off Sis and the police, but I won’t be able to do much…_

_If I stop Kamoshida now, that means he won’t break Ryuji’s leg and Shiho won’t jump off the roof. Ann and Ryuji wouldn’t have any reason to become Thieves. If I can save Futaba’s mother, she won’t have any reason either. Stopping Shido means Akira won’t come to Tokyo._

The Phantom Thieves were Makoto’s dearest friends. Her family really. The thought of not having them in her life was a difficult one to bear.

_I need to do it anyway. If I can save from the pain that was inflicted on them, it’ll be worth it, even if it means that I don’t get to know them this time._

_There’s a lot I need to do. I need to come up with a plan, or a checklist of some kind to make sure I fix as much as I can._

_My first priority should be getting access to the Metaverse. I can’t do much without it. Morgana should be able to get me in if I can find him. If Futaba’s mother is still alive, her research might also open some doors. And it wouldn’t hurt to try to get Futaba on my side, even if she has no reason to join the Thieves._

_I should also find out if Sis has a palace. She was willing to help us once. She might be willing to help me now. I just need to introduce the idea to her properly._

Makoto got out a notebook and a pen and set to work. After some time spent wracking her brain and going through at least ten pages of scrap paper, she had a neat checklist sitting in front of her.

  * Get access to the Metaverse 
    * Find Morgana
    * Make contact with Wakaba Isshiki 
      * Save Wakaba
        * or, save Futaba from her uncle
  * Find out if Sis has a palace yet 
    * Steal Sis’ treasure?
  * Contact the other Thieves to see if they remember anything 
    * Ann
    * Futaba
    * ~~Haru~~
    * Akira
    * Ryuji
    * Yusuke
  * Rescue Yusuke from Madarame 
    * Steal Madarame’s treasure
  * Find out if Kunikazu Okumura has a palace yet 
    * Save Haru from his abuse
    * Steal his treasure
  * Stop Kamoshida and Kaneshiro from preying on Shujin students 
    * Steal their treasures
  * Determine when Akechi got involved with the conspiracy 
    * Neutralize Akechi
  * Stop Shido



Makoto looked down at the list she held in her hands. It wouldn’t be easy, and she was nearly certain she was missing something, but it was a start.

She looked around the apartment and noticed that darkness had fallen over the room, most of the illumination coming from dim streetlights outside the window. She had been so focused on her task that she hadn’t noticed how much time had passed.

She quickly packed up and put all of her materials in her bag so that she would be ready for school the next day before folding up the checklist and hiding it in the middle of a book on her bookshelf.

With her plan made, Makoto left her room and walked toward the kitchen to start preparing dinner for herself and Sae.

 


	2. Lost and Found

**Taking in Strays**

Makoto woke the next morning ready to put her plan into action. Getting back into the Metaverse has to be her top priority if she wanted to have any chance of changing the timeline.

She quickly got ready for school, stepping out of her bedroom into the main room of her and Sae’s apartment. A note on the refrigerator indicated that Sae had left for work already, so Maktoto set about making a simple breakfast for herself.

Makoto began brainstorming as she sat down to eat. _Akria and Ryuji met Morgana in Kamoshida’s palace. If I remember correctly, Morgana was locked in a cell, but I can’t imagine he’d been there for two years. I doubt Kamoshida or his minions would have fed him or given him enough water to keep him alive, and he’d definitely show more trauma from being locked up for so long._

_Assuming he’s currently in Tokyo, the best place to find him would probably be Mementos, but I have no way to get there. I could look for him around Shibuya, but there’s no way I could find a specific cat in such a crowded area, not to mention that Morgana probably tries to stay hidden as much as possible._

Mulling over how she would get in touch with Morgana wasn’t getting her anywhere, so she changed tacks.

_Assuming she’s still alive, Futaba’s mother might be able to get me into the Metaverse, and I would be able to warn her and possibly save her life, which would save Futaba a lot of pain. The problem is that I have no idea where she lives or works, and no clues about how to get in touch with her. Even if I did get to speak with her, it would bring up a lot of questions._

_Boss only opened Leblanc after Wakaba was killed, so I guess I could check if it’s there. If it isn’t then at least I’ll know_ _that she’s still alive_ _. If it isn’t... at least I can try to get to get Futaba away from her_ _uncle sooner._

_That’ll be the plan for the day. Visit Yongen Jaya to see if Café Leblanc is there and try to come up with a way to find Morgana._

After Makoto finished her breakfast she cleaned up quickly, washing the dishes and placing them in the drying rack next to the sink. She then grabbed her bag headed out the door to school.

 

* * *

 

The second day of classes at Shujin Academy passed without incident. Makoto had always been a good student and she was two years ahead of her classmates so the material was mostly trivial for her to follow. Still, like a good student, she focused in class, taking good notes and answering teacher’s questions as accurately as possible.

And if she got one or two questions wrong on purpose to help fight any accusations of her being a teacher’s pet, which had been all too common the first time around, then nobody needed to know.

Lunch had passed without incident. Haru hadn’t yet reached out to her to schedule another meetup, and Makoto wanted to explore Yongen Jaya on her own, so she decided not to risk contacting Haru. It was bad enough that she’d mentioned Leblanc in their conversation the day before, even if she hadn’t mentioned its name. If Haru went in search of the café in Yongen Jaya only to find that there wasn’t one, it’d be a very strange lie for Makoto to be caught in.

When classes ended, Makoto gathered her things and walked towards the subway station, tracing the familiar route to Leblanc.

As she walked, she listened to the nearby conversations, catching snippets here and there. It was strange not to hear anyone talking about the Phantom Thieves or Shido, which had become ubiquitous topics of conversation in her future. There wasn’t any one dominant topic. Some businessmen discussed a deal they were working on. A couple of college students were planning which bar they would be going to that night. A pair of older women swapped stories about their grandchildren.

Hearing the discussions calmed Makoto in a way. She hadn’t realized it, but having to hear people constantly talk about the Phantom Thieves, whether on the television or just while she was walking around Tokyo had only served to compound the stress she felt from actually infiltrating palaces and delving through the depths of Mementos.

When she overhead people who supported the Thieves, it felt like that she had to do even more to try and be worthy of their confidence. On the other side of the coin, she wanted to do everything in her power to prove the people who didn’t believe in the Thieves wrong.

She got off the train at Yongen Jaya, her feet carrying her to the front door of Leblanc almost automatically. As she walked down the side street, she knew that Leblanc wouldn’t be there, the awning that hung over its door was conspicuously absent.

Still, Makoto walked down the tight path, right to where Leblanc would be in the future. There was nothing in its place, just a locked door with a clearly dusty and disused room behind it.

 _If Leblanc isn’t here, that_ _must mean that Futaba’s mother is still alive_ _. That avenue of getting to the Metaverse is still open to me. But how to get in contact with her? Did Boss always live in Yongen Jaya, or did he only move here when he opened Leblanc?_

Makoto had only been to the Sakura household a small handful of times, mostly during their infiltration of Futaba’s palace, but she knew the way well enough. She turned after passing the batting cages and closed down movie theater and walked down the street towards the Sakura household. Sure enough, the nameplate outside the house said “Sakura.”

_Given that no one else has shown any signs of having memories, it’s not worth trying to contact Boss without a solid plan. Still, he knows what Futaba’s mother is working on, so I might be able to get to her through him. He’d do anything for Futaba, and I bet he’d do anything for Wakaba too, so if I let him know that they’re in danger, I’m sure he’d at least meet with me._

Her fact-finding mission complete, Makoto started walking back to the train station. Even though it was only the second day of classes, teachers had begun assigning homework and Makoto had no plans to fall behind, no matter how important her other tasks were.

As she walked, she noticed a few posters taped to telephone poles in the neighborhood. After seeing the fourth such poster, she stopped to read it.

**Lost Dog!**

Responds to the name Hiroki. Very friendly and will come to you if you offer treats.

If found, please contact us at the second-hand shop on the main road.

 

The poster included a picture of the dog, which Makoto had to admit, was quite cute. Unfortunately, she hadn’t seen any strays walking around during her walk. She continued towards the train station before inspiration hit her.

 _Of course! People put up posters for lost pets all of the time. If I can make a poster that looks innocuous but makes it clear to Morgana that I know something, he’ll definitely seek me out. Even if he doesn’t remember me, he’ll be worried enough that he’ll want to at least threaten_ _me out of telling anyone else_ _about the Metaverse._

Makoto hurried the rest of the way to the train station and waited impatiently the whole ride home. As she rode the train, she received a message from Sae letting her know that she’d be out late and not to wait on having dinner.

 _I’m glad that Sis was still this involved with her job at this point. Makes it easier to not have to worry about hiding everything from her._ _But was it really always like this?_

Makoto walked into the apartment and locked the door behind her. Taking off her shoes and putting her school supplies off to the side, she got to work.

After about half an hour, she had produced what she thought was an acceptable result. It might read somewhat strangely, but people would simply pass it off as the product of someone with less than perfect writing skills.

**Lost Cat**

Morgana.

White markings on paws, tail, and muzzle. Loves fish, but suspicious of people’s true nature. Won’t trust easily. Responds only to his name. Does not like being called “cat” or respond to “here, kitty, kitty.”

He is one of my dear Mementos from an old friend. Has a strong Personality but is a loyal companion.

 

Makoto took a moment to set up a new e-mail address and added it at the bottom of the poster before printing out enough copies to post around Shibuya.

Satisfied with her work, Makoto took a moment to look at her cell phone. A notification on the lock screen showed that she had received a message from Haru.

_‘Hello Makoto! Would you like to eat lunch together tomorrow’?_

Makoto quickly typed a message. _‘Of course. Sh_ _ould we meet in the same place?’_

A few moments later, she received Haru’s response. _‘I’ll see you there. Don’t worry about bringing anything. I’ll pack something for both of us_ _.’_

 _That’s tomorrow planned then._ _I’ll eat lunch with Haru and see if I can get any more information about her father, then I’ll put these posters up after school._

With her Thief-related work, if she could call it that given that the Thieves hadn’t yet formed, finished for the evening, Makoto buckled down and got to work on her classwork. She took a short break to have dinner before wrapping up with her homework and taking a few moments to go over her notes from classes.

Before getting ready for bed, she took one last look at the apartment’s main room, confirming that Sae was still at work. She made sure to turn on one light in the kitchen so that Sae wouldn’t be returning to a completely dark apartment before crawling into bed to rest.

 

* * *

 

At lunchtime the next day Makoto found herself sitting on the the bench in the courtyard just a few moments before Haru arrived, giving her time to gather her thoughts.

 _For now, I should just try to be a friend to Haru. There’s not much I can do about her father without the Metaverse, so I should just try to support her as best I can without supernatural abilities._ _If I can get her to confide in me more, that’s a good first step._

Haru walked up to the bench, wearing her usual pink sweater and a cheerful smile on her face.

“Hello Makoto,” she greeted her as she opened her lunch bag. “I hope you didn’t think it presumptive of me, but I had some leftovers after dinner last night and thought it would be good to share with you.”

“Not at all. Thank you for the offer.” Makoto said, looking down at the dish in front of her. It was a warm stew filled with vegetables. She took a spoonful of carrot and broth, immediately recognizing the taste and the sense of rejuvenation that filled her.

 _Haru must have grown these herself._ _They’re just like the vegetables she used to grow for our trips to the Metaverse. I didn’t know she grew anything before she started the garden on the rooftop._

“This is really good Haru,” Makoto said. “Did you make this yourself?”

Haru blushed slightly at the praise. “Not entirely. I had some help with the cooking. I’m glad you like it though.”

“I do some of the cooking at home,” Makoto explained. “I’d love to know how you got it to taste this good. My stews aren’t nearly as flavorful. Do you use a specific grocer?”

Haru played with the hem of sweater for a moment. “Actually, I grew some of the vegetables myself. I wanted someone else to try them, so I would know how they turned out. I didn’t want to show Father unless they were good enough, and I thought you’d give an unbiased opinion because we’d just met.”

“They’re lovely Haru. But why didn’t you want your father to have any? I’m certain the he’d be impressed.”

“He’s a very busy man.” Haru said with some hesitation, clearly phrasing her response carefully. “Her works with restaurants and has precise standards.”

Makoto took another bite of the stew. “You should have him try some. I’m sure he’d love them.”

Haru’s face lit up. “I’ll definitely consider it.”

The two sat in companionable silence as they continued to eat, the heat of the soup keeping them warm despite the cool spring air surrounding them.

Haru finished her meal and started packing up the containers, placing them back in her lunch bag. Turning to Makoto, she asked, “I heard that clubs begin recruiting today. Will you be visiting the student council room?”

Makoto shook her head. “Not today. I already have something planned for after school. Did you find out if there’s a gardening club you could join?”

“Sadly, there doesn’t seem to be anything of the sort, though I’m sure that I’ll find something else to do.”

“I hope you do. I’m sure you’d do great in all sorts of clubs.” Makoto shifted slightly on her seat, her leg accidentally pushing against her bag just enough to cause the top to open slightly.

Haru’s eyes were drawn to the movement and after a moment she gave Makoto a look of concern. “Oh my, is that what you have to do after classes today?” She pointed at Makoto’s bag, which was now open enough to reveal the top of a poster reading ‘ **Lost Cat’** at the top.

Makoto hadn’t planned for anyone at school to that know she was putting up posters to try to find Morgana. Not having anything planned to deal with this type of situation, she froze, unable to find a response.

“Please let me help you!” Haru implored, sounding more like she was the one asking Makoto to do her a favor than the other way around. “I can’t imagine what it must be like to lose a pet. What’s your cat’s name?”

The gears started moving again in Makoto’s head enough for her to stammer out “M... Morgana. I miss him a lot. But you really don’t have to help.”

“With the two of us, we can cover twice as much ground. I’m sure we’ll find your cat in no time. Anything for a friend.” She smiled.

 _I suppose I was never good at the stealth aspect of being a Phantom Thief. And she’s right that the two of us together can get the posters put up more quickly. That means I might have some time this evening to think about how to contact Futaba’s mother. Plus, it’s not like Haru ever visited me at home, even in the future, so there’s no risk of her visiting and see_ _ing that there’s no evidence of Sis and I ever having a cat._

“Thank you Haru. I really appreciate it. I was going to put them up around Shibuya, since that’s where we lost him.” Thinking on her feet, she expanded. “We were taking him to the vet and he jumped out of his carrier. He ran down an alley and disappeared.”

Haru accepted her mission with all the seriousness that Makoto was used to seeing from Noir getting ready for a heist. “I’ll meet you in front of the school after the end of classes. We’ll find him in no time!”

Plans made, the two cleaned up the rest of their lunch, getting back to class just before the bell signaling the end of lunch rang.

 

* * *

 

Makoto met Haru outside the gates of Shujin as they agreed and together they walked towards the subway to take the train to Shibuya. The pushed their way through the crowd of commuters and managed to find two seats next to each on the subway.

“How long have you had Morgana?” Haru asked.

 _I_ _’ll have to devise a backstory. She’ll understand when I can tell her the truth, right?_

“Oh. We adopted him a few years ago.” Makoto said.

“You’ve had him for a while then. I can’t picture what it must be like to be missing a pet like that.” Haru paused. “How’d you come up with his name? Morgana is a bit of a strange name for a boy cat, isn’t it?”

Makoto chuckled, remembering the times that Morgana insisted that he wasn’t a cat, as well as his insistence that Morgana wasn’t that strange a name for a male. “We didn’t really have a choice. He came with the name when we adopted him. He refused to respond to any other name we tried to give him.”

“I suppose cats can be stubborn.” Haru looked toward the floor of the subway car before giving Makoto a reaffirming look. “I’m certain we’ll find him. He must be missing you too.”

The train pulled into Shibuya station and the pair got off the train.

“We’ll be able to cover more ground if we split up. Let’s start with the train station and underground mall and then put posters up on the street level. There’s a movie theater that we can meet in front of when we’re done.”

“Good plan,” Haru said, taking a stack of the posters that Makoto had printed. “Let’s get to work.”

Makoto nodded and started putting up posters in the station.

 _If I had to guess, Morgana is living on the streets or somewhere in the Metaverse, so he won’t have any way to actually contact this e-mail address, though he is resourceful enough that I wouldn’t put it past him. It would have been better if I could put our address on the posters, but I don’t want Sae to see one and_ _start asking questions._

_At least if he sees one, he’ll know someone is looking for him. As much as he hates to admit it, his feline tendencies mean he’ll be too curious not to investigate. I should try to make sure some people see me putting up the posters. He might overhear someone talking about it. I should also come back in a few days to put up more posters. He’s bound to be on the lookout and once he sees me putting up the posters, I can only hope he’ll come talk to me._

Makoto continued with her task, putting up posters all around the station, lingering in a few high-traffic spots and the areas that were significant to the Thieves: their former meeting spot at the station and the area they used to enter Mementos.

Once she deemed the poster coverage in in the station sufficient, she moved to the street.

Makoto started at the far end of Shibuya’s main street, putting up posters near the video rental store, café, and restaurant. She even took a moment to speak to a couple who inquired about what she was doing. They wished her luck and promised that they’d keep their eyes out while they finished their shopping.

Makoto continued working her way down Central Street, going down a side road to add a poster to the board outside the gym that was typically used to advertise equipment sales and fitness classes.

As she exited the alley, her eyes were drawn across the street to the alley opposite.

_That’s the alley where the store Akira used to shop at when we needed equipment is. I should make sure it’s still there. I’ll need somewhere to gear up when I get back into the Metaverse._

Makoto crossed the street, taking a quick glance to either side before ducking into the alley. She turned a corner and sure enough was greeted by a storefront with metal chains over the windows and a small sign that read “Untouchable” over the door.

She walked through the door into the dark shop. It looked much like she remembered it from the few times Akira had brought her to the store. While she couldn’t quite describe it as dingy, the air certainly didn’t feel as clear the air outside and it contributed to a tense atmosphere.

Behind the counter she spotted the proprietor, sucking on a lollipop and reading a magazine with pictures of guns and other weapons on the front.

He briefly glanced up from the magazine while turning a page, then paused. He took another look at her, and said, “No.” He made a shooing motion with his hand.

“Excuse me?”

“This ain’t a store for you kid. Get outta here.”

“I’d just like a moment to look around.” It wasn’t a lie. While at first she’d simply wanted to confirm that the shop was there and open, it seemed like as good a time as ever to purchase some equipment. She would need at least some rudimentary weapons when she got back into the Metaverse and she had some spending money with her.

“Listen. I don’t need the reputation I’d get if someone saw some kid like you in here, and you don’t need the reputation you’d get if one of your school friends saw you here. So just go home.”

“Fine.” Makoto turned and walked out the way she came.

_I can’t burn my bridge here over something unimportant. I know from Akira that the man is trustworthy. I’ll need to deal with that later._

She stepped back out into cool air the alleyway and walked back towards. It was still late afternoon, so the sun was in the sky and it took her a second to readjust to the light, even after just a minute or two in the dark store. A small chill came over her as she turned the corner, and she pulled her coat a little tighter around her.

She continued on her path down the main street, eventually putting up her last poster just outside the movie theater. Just as she finished fastening it to a utility pole, Haru came up behind her.

“Makoto! I just finished putting up all my posters. I spoke to a few people, but they haven’t seen him,” she said sadly.

“That’s alright Haru. Thank you for the help. It’s good to have a friend do this with me.”

Haru smiled. She looked as if she were about to respond when she was interrupted by an electronic tone from her bag. Fishing out her phone, she said, “Oh. I must be going. Father is home for dinner tonight.”

“I hope you enjoy the meal,” Makoto said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

With a small wave, Makoto departed, leaving Haru to presumably wait for the private car that would be taking her back home. Haru had never had trouble using her wealth where it was helpful or could make her friends but didn’t like to flaunt it, and Makoto thought it best to let her avoid that topic of conversation for now.

Now, all that was left for her to do was head home and hope that Morgana would see one of the posters, link it to her somehow, and track her down.

_First thing tomorrow after school, I’ll start doing some research on how to contact Futaba’s mother. Even if I do find Morgana, I need to at least warn her. I won’t let Futaba go through that again if I can help it._

That thought on her mind, Makoto stepped onto the train that would take her back to her and Sae’s apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote a one shot about Morgana and Sojiro that's completely unrelated to this story, but the idea came to me and I wanted to get it down.
> 
> It's called [Mor(se)gana Code](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16776706) if you'd like to check it out.


	3. Taking in Strays

The next morning found Makoto typing away at her computer long before she should have woken up. A noise from the street below the apartment had surprised her awake, and with just an hour before she would be getting up for school, Makoto had decided to get some work done instead of going back to sleep.

She started with simple searches, plugging “Wakaba Isshiki” and “cognitive psience” into the search engine that she was using. A search for Wakaba’s name didn’t pull up much. A reference to her in a local newspaper from years ago, celebrating her winning a local science competition. A couple of research papers she had been listed as a co-author on during her college years. Unfortunately, there was no information on her current whereabouts or a way to contact her. Not even a social media profile.

Searches for cognitive psience turned up even less. Whatever Wakaba was working on, she, or her employer, was keeping a tight lid on it. Makoto wasn’t surprised. The subject was so unusual as to seem crackpot. Any person doing serious research on it would be giving making life difficult for themselves if they ever had to find a new employer. Similarly, any company seriously sponsoring such research would be criticized by investors for wasting money on something pointless.

Makoto sighed. She’d taken steps to try to contact Morgana, but there wasn’t much she could do on that front but wait. She wanted to keep moving forward, but it looked like contacting Futaba’s mother was a dead end as well.

_Without more information, my only path to Wakaba at the moment is Sojiro, and all I have is what I know about him from the future and his address. He doesn’t know me and has no reason to trust me. How can I use him to contact Wakaba?_

_The most obvious strategy is the direct method. I go to Sojiro’s house and tell him the whole story. Time travel, Wakaba dying, the Phantom Thieves. Everything. At best, he’d probably think I’m crazy. At worst, he’d call Sis or report me to the authorities. There’s almost no way he’d believe me, so that option is out._

_Which leaves me back at square one. I need a plan._

Makoto took a moment to stretch. The night’s sleep combined with her hunching over her laptop for the past hour had left her shoulders feeling tight. Her muscles loosened up slightly and satisfied, Makoto went about getting ready for the school day.

 

* * *

 

 

Makoto tried to focus on her classes, taking notes as usual but found herself constantly distracted with thoughts of how she would find Wakaba. By the time lunch arrived, she still had not made any progress in finding a plan.

As Makoto ate lunch at her desk, a student came around the room placing papers on each student’s desk. She took one, thanking the student, and looked down at it.

The sheet had a list of all of the school’s clubs as well as when and where they met. She scanned the page quickly, noting that the student council still met on the same schedule that it had when she was the president.

_Being part of the council might give me a way to slow down Kamoshida, even before I can get back into the Metaverse. I suppose I can spend this afternoon trying to join while I think of a way to find Futaba’s mother._

With her plan set, afternoon classes passed more easily. Makoto was able to focus on her teachers and the material they were teaching. She found it to be a good review of concepts she hadn’t thought about in a few years, even though she was a few years ahead of her classmates.

When classes ended for the day, Makoto made her way to the third floor and found the student council room. She knocked on the closed door.

“Come in,” came a voice from the other side.

Makoto opened the door. The room looked much like it had during her tenure on the student council. The decorations were slightly different and the shelves holding council records were somewhat less full, but it was otherwise exactly as she remembered it. She took a moment, simply enjoying the sense of familiarity, which she had been sorely lacking over the past few days.

“Uh, hello? Can we help you?” The same voice that had beckoned her into the room asked.

Makoto flushed with embarrassment, looking to the students sitting at the table. She recognized each of them from when she had joined the council in the original timeline.

The council president, Miyuki Ishiwata sat at the head of the table looking at her.

“Oh,” Makoto said. “I was given a sheet with all of the clubs that were accepting new members. I was interested in joining the student council. It would be a good way for me to help my fellow students enjoy their time here at the school.”

Miyuki raised an eyebrow. “You’re a first-year, right?” Makoto nodded. “Well, elections for first-year representatives don’t take place until the end of the month.”

Makoto mentally smacked herself. _How could I forget that the student council is elected? I suppose nobody ever ran against me, but still, how could I be so dumb?_

Miyuki laughed at Makoto’s blank face. “At least it shows that you’re really interested and not just trying to get a club that looks good for your college applications. I guess you’re free to sit in on the meeting to get a feel for things.”

Makoto thanked her and sat down to the side of the room. With school having started recently, the student council didn’t have much to discuss, so they mostly talked among themselves. They didn’t do much to include Makoto in the conversation, so she just sat and listened.

A brown-haired boy that was sitting in front of Makoto leaned over to the girl sitting next to him. “Have you heard anything about Enji recently? It must be tough for him.”

She shook her head. “No. It looks like people are treating him fine. It must be hard losing your father like that though. He’s really throwing himself into the volleyball team, so at least he’s keeping busy.”

“That’s good. I’m glad he’s found something to keep his mind off things.”

Makoto let her mind wander while she sat in the council room. They really didn’t have anything to discuss, so she spent the time trying to remember what she could about the council’s current members and brainstorming ways to make contact with Futaba's mother.

Soon enough Miyuki ended the meeting. She took Makoto aside as the rest of the council went their separate ways.

“You didn’t really get to see us do much today. If you’re really interested in what we do, come by next week. We’re going to be planning for the first sports rally of the year. That way you can decide if you really want to run for election.”

“I’ll definitely come by,” Makoto said. “Thank you for letting me stay today.”

“Of course. It’s always a good thing to see someone who is so interested in what we do.” Miyuki smiled. “I hope to see you next week.”

Makoto left the school and took the train back home. While she was on the train she checked her phone and saw that Sae had sent her a message.

_‘I’ll be home for dinner tonight. See you soon.”_

When Makoto walked through the door of her apartment, she took off her shoes and dropped her bag in her room. She was far enough ahead in her classwork that she didn’t need to do any homework beyond reading through her notes, so she got to work preparing dinner for Sae and herself.

Just as she finished making a simple rice bowl with pork, Sae walked through the front door.

“Hi Sis,” Makoto said. “How was your day?”

Sae smiled. “It was good. I finally closed that assault case. The director was pleased, and we have a big case coming up. I did well enough that he might assign me to that one as well, which would look very good for me when I win it.”

“That’s great Sis.”

“I’m more interested in your day Makoto,” Sae said, sitting down at the table. “I’m sorry I haven’t been around the past week. I was focused on making sure I finished the case without any loose ends. How have your first days of high school been?”

“They’ve been good. I made a friend and we ate lunch together yesterday. Her name is Haru.”

“I hope Haru will be a good study partner for you. Remember, your job is to get good grades and get into a good college. Have you found any extracurriculars?”

“I sat in on a student council meeting today. I’m planning to run in the election at the end of the month.”

“Student council? That will definitely look good on college applications. Good thinking Makoto.”

“Thanks, Sis,” Makoto said. “You said you just finished a case? Tell me about it.”

Sae gave her a disapproving look. “You don’t have to worry about that. Let me focus on my work. You just focus on your studies.”

They continued to eat, mostly trading small talk. As they stood to clean up from their meal, Sae asked, “I know classes just started, but would you like me to help with any of your classes? I have time this evening and it’s best to get off to a good start with these things.”

Makoto shook her head. “No, it’s all been relatively easy material so far.”

“Good,” Sae smiled. “You’re a smart girl Makoto, you’ll do fine.” Makoto grinned at the praise.

Once they had finished cleaning up from dinner, Sae took a seat on the couch and began to read a book. Makoto retreated to her bedroom. Time with her sister was something that she didn’t get nearly as often as she would have liked. However, it also meant risking revealing to her sister something that she didn’t want to tell her. Makoto knew that she’d have to tell Sae what was going on eventually, she just wanted to make sure she had a foolproof plan before taking that step.

And some actual proof would be nice to have too.

So, Makoto found herself laying on the bed, mulling over her options.

With her research at a dead end and not having any other leads, her only path to Futaba’s mother was through Sojiro. She couldn’t just reach out to Sojiro because he would definitely be suspicious. She recalled his mentions of working for the government before he opened Leblanc. If she came looking for Wakaba without a good story, he’d see through it almost immediately.

_I wonder what Dad would do in this situation?_

Makoto had been too young when her father was around for him to tell her much about his job. He’d always just say that he was helping make sure that bad people didn’t hurt good people, which was true, and enough to make Makoto think that she had the best dad in the world.

Of course, he’d never had to deal with something as crazy as time travel, but Makoto knew that he was a good investigator. Makoto felt confident that her father would be able to think of some way to move forward.

Makoto had had three years to cope with her father’s death, and she felt like she had done a good job. While she missed him terribly, she never felt like she had allowed her lack of parents to affect her life significantly or how she acted. Sae did a good job of taking care of her, even if she wasn’t a particularly motherly figure.

She thought of Sojiro, who was still her best path to get to Futaba and her mother. The gruff but kind man had become something of a father figure to all of the Phantom Thieves, especially Futaba. He was as much of a father as she’d ever had, given that she had never met her biological father.

_That’s an idea. Futaba never knew her father, and it isn’t unusual for someone who has had at least one one-night stand to have others. It’s not unreasonable to think that she might have a half-sibling out there, and it would be perfectly reasonable for that half-sibling to seek out their half-sister._

_I could pretend to be Futaba’s half-sister and be looking for her. That story might work on Boss, but how could I explain finding him and knowing that he would know where to find Futaba?_

Makoto racked her mind, trying to come up with an idea.

_It might be better if I don’t have a clear backstory. If I pretend to just be a confused girl looking for her family, that might make Boss more sympathetic._

Makoto hated the idea of taking advantage of Sojiro like that, and it would strain her admittedly poor acting skills, but she couldn’t think of any other options. Given that she wasn’t completely certain about the date of Futaba’s mother’s death, she wanted to get moving as quickly as possible.

She spent the rest of the evening writing out a script for how she would introduce herself and responses to the first few questions Sojiro might ask. Even if she was planning to keep things vague, it didn’t hurt to be prepared.

 

* * *

 

After classes the next day, Makoto took the train to Yongen Jaya and followed the path to the Sakura household.

She pressed the button to ring the bell in the house, hoping that Sojiro would be home. He didn’t seem like the type to out on Friday nights, but she didn’t know what he had been like before opening Café Leblanc.

Makoto waited, holding her breath and running through her story in her mind one last time.

After a minute or two, Makoto was about to leave, assuming that Sojiro wasn’t home. Just as she started to turn to leave, the door to the house opened and Sojiro stepped out.

He gave her a confused look. “Can I help you?”

Sojiro looked younger than Makoto remembered him being. In truth, he was only two years younger, but physically he looked at least five or even ten years younger than he had when Makoto met him. She guessed that the stress of Wakaba’s death and caring for Futaba must have taken its toll on him.

She launched into the answer she’d been rehearsing since the previous evening. “Hello. My name is Makoto. I- I’m looking for my half-sister, and I think you might know her?” Her first name was common enough that Makoto felt comfortable using it.

“Half-sister?” Sojiro questioned. “Sorry kid, I don’t think I can help you.”

“Please. I’ve been looking for so long. All I have is your address. At least let me tell you my story, just in case you know something.”

“Sorry kid,” Sojiro opened the door to go back inside.

Makoto took a desperate chance, nearly shouting, “Please. Do you know anyone named Isshiki?”

Sojiro stopped in his tracks. He turned and gave Makoto a hard look. He turned back to the door. “Fine. Come in.”

Makoto nervously followed Sojiro through the front door of his house. He led her to the kitchen and sat at the small table that clearly hadn’t been cleaned in a few days based on the remnants of past meals.

Once she sat, Sojiro launched into his questioning. “How do you know Wakaba?”

“I- I don’t,” Makoto admitted.

“Then how do you know her name?”

Makoto braced herself. She really hoped that Sojiro bought her story.

“Like I said. I’ve been looking for my half-sister. I never knew my father. He was gone before I was born. I started trying to see if I could find him, but my mother wouldn’t tell me anything and I couldn’t find any hints about him.”

“Hoo boy.” Sojiro sighed. “Let me tell you. Sometimes there are some things you don’t want to find. You might not like the answer.”

Makoto nodded. “I know. And I’m prepared to accept that my father probably isn’t a good person. He wouldn’t have left if he wasn’t. But when I started looking for him, I got a letter. I don’t know who it’s from, but it said that I have a half-sister. All it gave me was this address.”

She pulled out the letter she had fabricated the evening before. It had taken a bit of work to get the handwriting to look convincingly unlike her own and it didn’t really say much, but she showed it to Sojiro.

 

_I know you’re looking for me because you want a father-figure in your life or some crap. I’m not going to be that for you, so stop looking._

_If you really want to find your family so bad, you have a half-sister out there somewhere. Go to this address in Yongen Jaya. Their last name is last time I checked was Isshiki. Maybe the two of you can get together and stop bothering me._

 

Sojiro read the letter, palming his face in frustration by the time he got to the end. “I don’t know what Wakaba saw in that asshole… Even if it was just one night.”

Makoto jumped at the opening. “So, you do know something?” She tried to sound hopeful.

Sojiro sighed again, “Yeah. A friend of mine, Wakaba Isshiki. She has a daughter, but the dad’s not around. Looks like he stuck around just long enough to realize that he had a kid, just so he could dodge the responsibility. Figures it wouldn’t be his first time pulling that move.”

Makoto stayed quiet, looking at Sojiro expectantly.

“You said you were looking for your father. Well, clearly, he doesn’t want to be found. Are you going to keep looking?”

Makoto shook her head. “No. At first, I hoped that there was a good reason that he didn’t stay, but at this point, I think I have to admit to myself that he isn’t the man I had hoped he would be. But, if I have another family out there, I’d like to meet them.”

Sojiro’s look softened a little. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”

He left the room, leaving Makoto alone in the kitchen. She’d spent barely any time in the Sakura household in the original timeline, so she took a moment to her surroundings. It looked like a normal kitchen, but she thought she could see the remains of Sojiro’s signature curry on one of the plates in the sink. She assumed that he kept busy with his government job and didn’t have much time for housework.

Her eyes continued to scan the room, taking in the cabinets and the modern-looking stove. Her attention was drawn to the window for one moment when she thought she saw a shadow moving outside the window frame, but she quickly wrote it off as a trick of the eye.

Sojiro came back with a piece of paper. “Look. Wakaba is very busy with her job, but I might be able to give you a chance to talk to Futaba. Her daughter. If you really want to meet her, call me next week. I’ll see what I can do. But think about it first. Know what you really want to get out of this, because if you don’t all you’re going to do is get yourself, and Futaba, hurt.”

Makoto took the paper. It had a phone number, presumably Sojiro’s written on it in pen. She put it in her school bag.

“Thank you, sir.”

Sojiro scratched at the back of his neck. “Whatever. Now get out of here. Don’t you have homework to do or something?”

Makoto nodded, thanked Sojiro again and left his house. As she walked back to Yongen Jaya’s train station she let out a heavy breath.

_I’m glad he believed my story. Boss has always had a soft spot for kids. I feel terrible for lying to him, but after I save Wakaba, maybe I can explain things._

It was at that moment that she realized that, in fact, she probably wouldn’t be able to tell Sojiro the whole story, or really anything. The fewer people outside of the original Thieves that she told about time travel and the Metaverse, the better.

 If Futaba’s mother never died, Futaba wouldn’t have a reason to join the Phantom Thieves. Makoto wouldn’t force her to join, especially given that Futaba was barely even a teenager at this point in the timeline. It also meant that Sojiro wouldn’t have a reason to open Café Leblanc.

_I accepted that I might change things when I first came back. I can’t stop now. Boss might not open Leblanc and I might not get to know him at least his life will be better, right?_

_At least he agreed to try to put me in touch with Futaba. I can get to know her that way._

Makoto, like most of the Phantom Thieves, had come to see the girl as the little sister that she’d never had. She didn’t want to sacrifice that relationship, even if she changed history to keep Wakaba alive. She resolved herself to try to become part of Futaba’s life regardless of how things played out.

Still, Makoto ruminated on the impacts that her changes to the timeline could have. She’d given it cursory consideration when she’d first come back, but she’d mostly focused on the positives. She was starting to realize that she might not become friends with, or even meet, most of the Phantom Thieves at all. Even if she did, would her relationship with them be the same without the common experience of Phantom Thievery to bind them together?

These thoughts carried Makoto all the way back home. She walked through the front door, still deep in thought, taking her shoes off and leaving them near the door.

She opened the door to her room, taking her school bag off her shoulder and placing it on her desk. She turned around and nearly shouted in surprise at the sight that greeted her from her bed.

Once she had gathered her wits again, she was only able to get the one word out.

“Morgana?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Morgana makes his appearance. 
> 
> I posted a one-shot that is unrelated to this series, featuring Morgana and Sojiro. If you'd like to read it, it is called [Mor(se)gana Code.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16776706)
> 
> Thanks for taking the time to read my writing.


End file.
